Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-16
Mr.. Crane Talks Again TO the PrOtec-
tive ASSOciaiiOn.

/ the Grand Army Hall last night There were
| some thirty persons present. The treasurer re-
ported that from collections and subscriptions he
hao now cash on hand amounting to s31.63 Mr..
| L. Z. Murray, from the committee appointed to
present TO the Secretary Of War the resolutions
| asking for the court-martiai OF Commissioner
Ludlow, stated that they had presented the reso-
buttons 10 the Presidents messenger at the White
! House instead OF handing them directly to the
| secretary. The secretary read two communica-
| lions, one from the occupant OF 1928 Pennsylya-
MA avenue, who complained that his water rent
had oeen increased from $13 to SIG, and the other
from W. Penn Clarke living at the north
east corner OF Thirteenth and !
| streets northwest, who stated that his tax had
pen increased this year from SS.25 to S23 80.
Wnen ne inquired at the District Office in regard
10 the matter ne was told he said that his house
mas frontage on street of So feet and is four
stores Nigh Mr. Clark says this is true but these
proportions have existed ever since the nOuse has
! been built, and yet the tax has heretofore been
| assessed upon the frontage OF the lot on 18th
atnou8n tne entrance to the house is from street.
He recommends that the citizens unite in resist
| Ing the imposition OF these unjust rates.
DIRECTIONS TO THE SCHEDULE
| the president read the report Of the law COM
mttee which referred to the table OF rates printed
| In saturdays STAR, and stated that the rates.
when rectlfed next year, will not make the griev-
| alcc ol tle water takers more able to be borne
| now. "Ihey still carry out law" continues
the report, 'made by the corporation OF Wash
!
rates Tor water rents according stories and front
feet. There Is nothing In the law of Congress Civ
| ing the corporation OF Washington in 1859 or the
legislative assembly In 1874, or the Commissioners
in 1879, the power 10 establish a scale OF annual
rates for the supply and use OF water; that gives
authority 10 charge for water where ,t is not used
or 10 dppOrtion the water rent 10 the stories and
/ the front feet" The report then maintained that
I the commissioners had no right to charge for a
store Wlen the trent room Of a house was changed
/ into store and no extra faucets were introduced
IL was asserted that the citizens ought to protest
against extending the water rates to objects and
! places Where no water Is supplied. Referring to
! the acton OF the Commissioners In returning to
tle Oh domestic water rates in the future, the
| report continues: "IhiS Is sorry way for the
Commissioners to get out OF the dilemma they are
In oy tne exercise or unjust and arbitrary rules
TO Inform us through the press that they are going
to return to the old water rates let them return
now TO the old ruling-nOt to charge for the sup
ply ana use or water where 1t is not used; not 10
not To charge for story when there is no story:
| not TO change cellar into a basement and then
turn the basement into story for the purpose of
increasing, not the Rates, but the revenue"
MR.. CRANE TALKS
Mr.. j. FL. Crane said that some of the news
papers OF the city seem to diSparage this move
ment on the ground that they have not attracted
! a crowd OF people. 1t is the first time that he
/ ever knew that numbers have any thing to do
with the Importance OF any public movement The
| greatest movements in the world We're started by
few people. He thought that some notice ought
| 10 DC taken or the manifesto issued by the Com
| nIissioners. He found that it had been dificult
task 10 2nalyze this statement, account OF the
confused manner OF its preparation, SOlae OF the
brightest minds in the District had said that they
could not make anything out of it. 1t was strange
that the commissioners should be willing to make
| such statement. All that was necessary for
| them 10 do was TO give the receipts and ex-
| penditureS of the water department. and as they
have not done so 1t must be evident that there IS
That the commissioners in their reply to his crti-
\ ciSna,ehad failed to meet the issue. His state
| ments, whether true or false, We're made
| up from their figures, and he does not vOuch
| Tor their correctness, only the correctness
| OF his copy. In regard to their statement
that there could be no misrepresentation OF the
! public funds, MI. Crane says that he has heard
from reliable source that The accounting officers Of
the Treasury haveIo nine years been trying in vain
10 get statement from the commissioners OF the
correct receipts and expenditures OF the Water De.
partment what we now request is that one or
more accounting officers from the Treasury may
be detailed 10 80 20 the District building and audit
the accounts VI the water office. "What is there
he asked ITO prevent the tax collector or his clerks
from pOcketin5 ont-half they receive for water
rents or water taxes, so tar as the Treasury De-
partment IS able To prevent it?'
Then again, how 10 We know but that the Com
mlsaionerS receive Il percentage on all contracts
fOr material or work? And what IS there to pre-
vent pipe or other material from being receipued
| for that is never delivered? He repudiated the
charge that he was friend OF ex-Registrar Lubey,
and said that for the last six years OF the latterS
lie ne dld not recognize him on the public streets
| REVIEWING CAPT. sYMoNs' STATEMENTS
| Mr.. Crane then passed In review the statements
made by Capt. SylnonS in regard to the manage
| ment OF the water department. Capt. SymOnS
| says that during the six years from 1880 TO 1886
| there was expended SIS 022.7O for laying water
| mains, while there was collected as Waterman
taxes the sum OF s124 694.3 But instead OF this
| latter sum there Was probably not more than 80
900 collected The receipts for water taxes and
rents during these six years was, according to the
commissioners figures, S196 29l 81. while the eX-
pendltureS, except for ilre-plugs MIGRANTS, and
OF S5OS, :}OS.9o besides the amount that should be
due III profits ON the water mains and the accrued
| interest on the assessments on the same, which
should amount 10 not less than $780, 900 more, or
total OF S4Oo, 30 TO cover the cost Of few fire
| plugs and MIGRANTS and the stopping of leaks and
| the raising or lowering Of few water mains dur
Ing that time, all Oh which should not amount to
over 100000 He thought That the captain ought
| u inform the public how much profit 6-inch
main laid III the center OF the street. and costing
% cent, per 'front.' foot, viii pay on lots averaging
100 feet deep assessed at \ cents per square foot
Mr. Crane s;'id he made the profit, after making
liberal allowance for street crossing or corner
lots that may have been assessed on other streets
| over 20 per cent.
Ia regard To the statement that not q dollar OF
collections or disbursements is handled by any
oitlciai or the water department. Mr.. Crane asks:
Suppose some Clerk In the water Office agrees to
| settle the Dill OF citizen for q water tax or
water rent, marks it paid on the book and puts
the money III his pocket, what check is there on
the water Office 10 prevent such thing from
being done, or 10 expose IL after IL is done? have
heard OF Just such cases,
"When the captain continues Mr. Crane,
"staten.that the dslalcatiOn or Mr. Lubey was well
kEo'9n at the time, he states what is not true At
any rate, this Is the first time that t has ever
been stated In the papers. II may have been a
i nllter oil record; II so, 1t was kept from the
pubic" Instead OF the amount stolen being
S2O,2Sl.C6, MIR. Crane says that he has heard It
put at over SIS, coo. AT any rate If this defaIca-
| ton was wei known, Mr. Crane thinks that it
Is singular that none OF the Commissioners have
asked Congress TO have the loss to the water fund
made good. In conclusion, Mr.. Crane refers to the
recent modification OF the new water rates as q
sop thrown TO the whale OF discomfort by the Com
| mi5siOner..
| The report was loudly appiauded, and vote OF
thanks wi.S extended To Mr.. Crane.
| RESOLUTIONS OF PROTEST.
| committee, consisting OF Messrs T. c. Muir
| ray, W. III. Saith and Van Buren, Hillyard, re-
! ported the resolutions, which were adopted SET
/ ting forth that sit is the object OF the Commits
aloncr5 IL mislcad the public Us 10 the objects of
TINS association, this meeting earnestly protest
against Tue unlawful rating OF taxes for water by
The present Commissioners. and that this assOci1
lloi icdNe no just mean, untEied until this out
/ raStouo abuse is Corrected
THE PRESS AND THE PEOPLE
| The secretary read SCI OF resolutions thank.
| Ing the National Republican, the !Suadou Gnzetfe
ana the HItchet for their support Of the rights OF
| citizens, and recommending that citizens give
these papers their support By advertisements and
subscriptions. The resolutions, however arter
| discussion, were laid upon the table because as
| one member suggested, The STAR was a
powerful advocate or the rights OF the citizens and
nad oeen Ia this controversy and should not he
omitted There were also other papers he Thought
| which should be mentioned.
OTHER COMPLAINTS
Mr.. j. ii. Smith said that while the association